Machine-gun



A. H. FOX.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 30.1917.

Patented. Aug. 30, 19218 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

b I T A. H. FOX.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, I911.

Patentefl Afig. 30, 1921.;

4 SHEE1ZS-SHEET 2.

. k \m as flaw.

' A. H. FOX.

MACHINE GUN.

APPUCATION FILED JULY 30, 1917.

1,3},56. Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

4 SHEETSS HEET 3.

.Ziwentor:

A; H. FOX.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION man JULY 30. 1917.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.4

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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W rw- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANSLEY H. FOX, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOIR TO ANSLEY H. 1101 COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MACHINE-GUN.

Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My in'vention'relates to machine guns having gas operated means for effecting automatic loading, firing and ejecting spent car'- tridge cases, and it is deslgned to provide an improved mechanism having a relatively small number of simple parts, readily assembled and dissociated, with the production of a simple, convenient, light, durable, and efiicient rapid fire automatic gun.

Leading characteristics of my improvements are comprised in the construction and coordination of parts by which the gas" tube and related mechanism for operatmg the bolt and firing pin are mounted on the barrel and in the top of the receiver; the cartridge magazines are connected to the bottom of the receiver by simple means permitting them to be changed qulckly and readily; the extractor mechanism is simplified and improved; an improved control is provided for the bolt; and the structure issturdy and compact.

ing description and the accompanying drawings in illustration thereof.

.n the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gun embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same; Fig. 3 is a broken longitudinal sectional view illustrating the firing position of the mechanism; Fig. 4 is a broken longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale of a second position of the mechanism illustrating the reloading relation of the parts; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line AA of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line BB of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line CC of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line DD mlt the remova Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

Application filed July 30,

1917. Serial No. 183,401.

tion shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a'broken longitudinal sectional view of the bolt with its connections removed; Fig. 14 is aview similar to that of Fig. 13 but with the extractor in place; and Fig. 15 is a perspective View of the extractor;

The construction shown in the drawings, embodying a preferred form of' my invention, comprises the receiver 1 to whichare detachably connected the stock 2, the barrel 3 and the gas tube 4.

The receiver 1 is provided with the undercut vertical groove 5 in which slides the cor-. respondingly formed tongue 6 of the shoe 7 fixed to the stock; the latter being held in place by a bolt 9 movable in a way 10 of the receivers top plate 11, by the action of a spring 12, into lockin engagement with the shoe, and the bolt being withdrawn manually from engagement with the shoe to perof the stock by pressing on th'e thumb piece 13 so as to compress the sprlng. 1

The barrel 3, provided with the cooling fins or ribs 14, has the threaded reduced end 16 which is screwed into the threaded socket 17 of the receiver. f"

The gas tube 4 (which contains the gas exhaust ports 18) rests inbearings formed by notches 19 in the tops of the fins, above the barrel, and has its rear end fixed in the forward end of the receiver and on the barrel by a collar 20, which is fixed on the reduced barrel end 16 by a pin 21; the rear end of the gas tube having fixed thereon a collar 22 engaging the collar 20. The detachable top plate 11 of the'receiver, having tongues 23 which slide in grooves 24 in the body, is provided with the tongue 25 which fits in a notch 26 of the collar 20 and on a reduced section 27 of the collar 22, to hold the gas tube in place, the part 11 being held in place by its abutting engagement with the part 6.

he forward end of the gas tubeds screwed into a collar 28 which is fixed on the barrel 3 by a pin 29; this collar containing the port.

nected by a rod 36 (having gas checks 37 thereon) with the forward end of a. hollow action slide having the cylindrical section 38 adapted to reciprocate in the tube and the rear angular section 39 adapted to reciprocate in a guide way 40 of the receiver.

A collar 41 is loosely mounted on the forward end 38 of the action slide and has fixed thereto an operating knob 42 which extends through the longitudinal slot 43 in the re.- ceiver; the forward end of the angular section 39 in its forward position engaging the collar which is adapted to be operated by the knob to retract the slide.

A coiled spring 44 has its forward end inserted in the bore of the action slide, against a bearing in the forward end thereof, and its rear end sleeved on a stem 45 which is fixed to a depending lug 46 of the plate 11 at the rear of the guide way 40 and adjacent to the shoe 7, the stem having a threaded section on which is screwed an adjustable bearing 47 for the spring.

The action slide has at the rear end thereof a depending block 48 provided with the longitudinal ribs or flanges 49, the block .and ribs being adapted to reciprocate in the corresponding guide way 50 containing the longitudinal grooves 51. The block 48 contains a longitudinal recess 52 for holding a spring 53 and guiding a bolt 54, the latter being supported by the spring and adapted to strike against the shoe 7 to provide a buffer for the slide in its reverse movement. The block 48 also contains a seat having at its rear end a. channel 56, to provide a yoke for engaging the firing pin 57, the latter being held in the yoke against turning and longitudinal movement by having the flattened web 58 to fit in the seat and the button 59 on the rear end thereof to fit in the channel.

The firing pin 57 is adapted to reciprocate in and to reciprocate and turn the bolt 60 in the guide way 50, the pin having fixed therein the transverse stud 61 with projecting ends disposed in the cam slots 62 of the bolt. Projections or ribs 63 and 63 are provided on the rear end of the bolt. The projections 63 run in the longitudinal grooves or guide ways 51 of the receiver, to control the bolts longitudinal movement, and in the circular way 64 at the forward ends of the way 50, to permit the bolt to be turned by the action of the stud 61 in the cam slots 62 and to be locked in its forward position by the engagement of the projections 63 with the abutting material 64' between the grooves. The projection 63' runs longitudinally in the open guide way 51 of the receiver and, in the turning action of the bolt in its forward -position, engages the sides of the way to joined at its rear end with a narrower section 66 which is continued in a-still narrower section 67 having a socket 68 at the rear end thereof, the wide section being joined at its 66 of substantially the same cross section,

the wedge like projections 73 extending forward from the part 72 and havin inclined surfaces 74 adapted for engaging t e respective surfaces 71, the narrow forward part 75 which is adapted to reciprocate in the way 69 of substantially the same cross section and has the hook 76 thereon for engaging the bead 77 of the cartridge 78, the rear section 79 which reciprocates in the way 66 of substantially the same cross section, and the stem 80 movable in the way 67, into and out of the socket 68. A coiled spring 81 on the stem is seated in the socket 68 and bears against the part 79 to thrust the extractor forward.

The receiver 1 has a bottom opening 82 communicating with its chamber 83, into which the cartridge 77 is thrown from the magazine 84 by the spring 84' in loading:

the bolt 60, on moving to its forward position against the rear end of the barrel 3, thrusting the cartridge into its chamber 85 in the barrel and holding it there.

A projection 86 on the bottom of the receiver at the forward end of the opening 82 contains a notch 87 for engaging a projection 88 on the magazine, and a projection 89 on the bottom of the receiver at the rear end of the opening has a pawl 91 pivoted therein, thls projection containing a spring 92 for pressing the pawl forward into engagement with a projection 93 on the magazine. This arrangement permits the empty magazines to drop out of place by the simple disengagement of the pawl, conveniently placed there for, and the snapping of a full magazine into place by simply thrusting it into its seat in the opening 82.

In the side of the receiver, opposite the chamber 83, is the opening 94 through which the spentcartridge cases are thrown by contact with the ejector 95 as they are drawn back by the extractor.

The scar 96, fulcrumed in the rear end of the receiver on a pin 97, has an upwardly bent rear end in the rear end of the receiver and normally elevated to position for engaging a cock catch 98 on the block 48, by means of a spring 99, the latter being supported in a socket 100 extending through the bottom of the receiver into the grip 101. The trigger 102, when pulled, acts on the forward end of the sear to depress its rear end against the action of the spring, and

hold it out of catch 98.

In operation, with the mechanism in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the action slide 38-39 is drawn back initially by means of the knob 42 and carries with it the firing pin 57 and the bolt 60, which latter is first turned to bring the projections 63 into registration with the grooves 51 by the action of the stud 61 in thecam slots 62 and then follows the partially withdrawn pin; the rearward movement of the slide compressing the spring 44 and effecting the engagement of the sear 96 with the catch 98 to hold the parts in the retracted position. The charged magazine 84- being in place, the s ring 84 throws a cartridge 78 into the chamber 83 upon the withdrawal of the bolt therefrom, and, upon pressing the trigger 102 to disengage the sear 96 from the catch 98, the spring 44 acts to throw the slide, firing pin and bolt forward; the latter pushing the cartridge from the chamber 83 into the chamber 85 of the barrel. The bolt is stopped in its forward movement, with its forward end against the base of the cartridge (over the bead 77 of which the extractor hook 76 has passed), by the engagement of the projections 63 and 63' with the abutment 64" of the receiver at the rear endof the chamber 83. The further forward movement of the firing pin, through the action of the stud 61 in the slots '62, turns the bolt to locking position, with the projections thereon in abutting relation to the ribs 64', following which the pin strikes and discharges the cartridge. Gas generated by the detonation of the charge flows through the passages 32, 31, and into the forward end position for engaging the of the gas tube 4, acting against the piston held in the forward position by the spring 44. The piston, being forced back by the action of the gas, throws the action slide back until its movement is stopped by the impact of its buffer 54 with the shoe 7 the spring 44 being placedunder compression, the pin and bolt being operated as previously described, and a second cartridge being thrown from the magazine into the receiver. Ifthe trigger be free when the cock catch passes over the rear and of the sear, the latter will engage and hold the action in the cocked position, but if the trigger be held back the compressed spring in the action slide will throw the latter forward and the operations previously described will be carried on continuously.

The extractor is adapted to be moved back in its guide way in the bolt, against the action of its spring, and outwardly, by the engagement of its hook with the rim of the cartridge, as the bolt approaches the limit of its forward movement, the relative movement between the bolt and extractor separating correlated inclined surfaces to permit the hook to ride over the cartridge bead. Then the spring throws the extractor forward and the engaging inclined surfaces effeet the inward movement of the hook to engage the cartridge in front of the bead and when the bolt-is drawn back the force exerted by its inclined surfaces on the inclined surfaces of the extractor tends to press the hook inwardly in firm engagement with the cartridge case, which is thereby withdrawn, contacts with the ejector and is thrown out.

The extractor is readily detached from the bolt by pressing the former back, against the action of its spring, until the wedge shaped projections on the two parts clear, when the forward end of the extractor can be moved outwardly through the open-for- 'ward section of the guide way and the extractor removedeasily, its replacement being readily effected by the reverse of these operations.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. In a machine gun, the combination with a receiver having a guide way in the top thereof and a guide way beneath the same, of a barrel fixed to said receiver with its bore in line with said uide way second named, an action slide having a hollow part in engagement with said guide way first named and a part depending therefrom in engagement with said guide way second named, a firing pin connected with said part second named, a bolt movable in said guideway second named, means whereby said pin reciprocates and turns said bolt, a spring disposed in said hollow part, a bearing in said guide Way first named for supporting said spring, and a scar fulcrumed in said receiver beneath said action slide and adapt-.

ed for holding said action slide against movement by said spring.

3. In a machine gun, the combination with a receiver having a detachable top plate, a stem fixed to said plate, and a bearing adjustable on said stem, of a hollow action slide adapted to reciprocate in said receiver, and a coiled spring disposed in said slide and on said stem in engagement with said bearing.

4. In a machine gun, the combination with a receiver having a guide way with an opening substantially the length thereof and a sliding plate adapted for closing said openward end of said receiver in line with said" guide way, piston mechanism adapted to reciprocate 1n said tube, action slide mecha- L msm adapted to be moved rearwandly in" said guide way by said piston mechanism, and mechanism comprising a spring for moving said action slide and piston mechanism forward.

5. In a machine gun, the combination with a receiver, of a barrel fixed to said receiver, a collar fixed to said barrel and receiver, and a gas tube attached to said receiver and bar rel by means of said collar. v

6. In a machine gun, the combination with a receiver, of a barrel fixed to said receiver, a device fixed on said barrel, and a gas tube extending through said device and fixed thereby to said receiver, said tube having a device interlocking with said device first named.

7. In a machine gun, the combination with a receiver having a removable plate, of a barrel screwed into said receiver, a device through which an end of said barrel passes into said receiver, and a gas tube adapted to pass through said device and engaged thereby to said receiver, said tube having means interlocking with said plate and device.

8. In a machine gun, the combination with a receiver having a top guide way with a detachable cover and a bottom guide way accessible by the removal of said cover, of a barrel fixed to said receiver with its bore in line with said bottom guide way, a gas tube fixed on said barrel and to said receiver in line with said top guide way, and a device through which said barrel and tube pass whereby said tube is fixed on said barrel and to said guide way.

9. In a machine gun, the combination of a receiver having a top guide way with'a slidable cover and a bottom guide way accessible by the removal of said cover, a stock detachably connected with said receiver and adapted for holding said cover in place, a

barrel fixed to said receiver with its bore in line with said bottom guide way, a coupling device fixed to said barrel, and a gas tube extending through said device in line with said top guide way, said gas tube having means engaging-said device and said slide .for locking it in position.

10. In a machine gun, the combination with the receiver, of a barrel having an end thereof screwed into said receiver, a coupling device through which said barrel passes, said device being clamped between parts of said barrel and receiver, and a gas tube passing through said device and secured thereby to said barrel and receiver, the gas tube having a collar thereon interlocking with said device.

11. The combination of a receiver having a plate adapted to slide into and out of place,

a barrel connected to said receiver, and means engaged by said plate for locking said barrel to said receiver. I

12. In a gun, the'combination ofa receiver having a movable member, a barrel connected to said receiver, a gas tube mounted above said barrel and a collar connect ng .said barrel and tube, said movable member wardly extending projection on which said magazine is fulcrumed and at the rear of said inlet a pawl, for engaging said magazine.

14. In a gun, a receiver having a sliding plate in combination with a stock havlng a sliding engagement with said receiver and adapted to\hold said plate in place.

15. In a gun, a receiver having a sliding plate and a guide way transverse thereto, in combination with a stock having means for making a sliding engagement with said way and for holding said plate in position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this 28 day of July, 1917.

ANSLEY H. FOX. 

